Understanding the difference between asking a question and making a comment or statement can be tricky for many primary kids. More often than not when students are asked if they have any questions about a topic they will respond with a personal statement about their own experiences. We spent time each Wednesday afternoon of our first term together doing something we called "Wonder Wednesday". Each week we had a different topic to wonder about and we would brainstorm questions we had about the given topic. The first couple of weeks were pretty hard as the kids were more interested in telling me what they already knew (some of it accurate, some not) rather than demonstrating their natural curiosity with a question. Eventually the kids got the hang of it and the wondering became easier. The next step is to move this question asking from Wonder Wednesday and into our day to day lessons. To help transition the students from making comments to asking questions I have posted question words in the class that they can reference.
By asking questions, students are learning:
Another important aspect of questioning is anticipating what questions your audience or reader might have when presenting or writing about an idea. The children in division 13 write in their journal almost everyday. At the end of our writing block they have time to share what they have written with their peers. One of our many writing goals is to include details that would answer quick questions like what, where, when, how, who and why. For example, if a student writes that he or she went to a birthday party I encourage the author to include the name of the birthday person, where the birthday was held, what activities were arranged, what food was served, when the birthday was held etc. Including these details makes the writing more interesting for the reader. As we progress through term two we will continue with our Wonder Wednesday exercises. We will be moving towards not just asking questions but seeking answers as well. We will also be working on asking questions when we read books, listen to stories (I wonder why the main character...?), are talking about math concepts (What would happen if you flipped the equations?) and in every other part of our day. Comments are closed.
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Ms. Shawna WoodPassionate about teaching, learning, inclusion and kindness. Archives
August 2019
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